Love Was Not Enough
by Romantic Fool
Summary: Sequel to "I Need You To Love Me": 5 years after Hogwarts, Draco has assumed the role of Voldemort's right hand and heir. However, destiny thrusts Hermione back into Draco's life, forcing them to relive their last year at Hogwarts.
1. A Reminder of the Past

A/N: I really didn't want to multi-fic, but I think that I've put off this sequel long enough. Besides, Temptation isn't far from its end and I really want to write the sequel to "I Need You to Love Me." The way I have it planned is that it's going to be a trilogy, with this story, "Love Was Not Enough," as the second part. It is set approximately 5 years after Hermione and Draco graduated from Hogwarts, but there will constantly be flashbacks to their last year, which was full of passion, betrayal, and heartbreak. (These flashbacks are not in chronological order.) I've taken the liberty to create a new character, Amber, who is Hermione and Draco's 4- year old daughter. She will play a bigger role in the last story of the Trilogy, but has a rather cameo role here. Anywayz, I'll get on with this.  
  
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.- (found at: )  
  
CHAPTER 1: A Reminder of the Past  
  
Hermione leaned against the stone wall for support, knowing full well that she did not have enough strength to reach the end of the staircase. She closed her eyes, willing the world to stop spinning. Her time was running out. The effects of her unhealed injury were taking its toll on her, and she knew that Hogwart's defenses would not hold for much longer. The Dark Lord's army had already surrounded them, leaving only a single window of opportunity for her friends to flee.  
  
Hermione doubled over as coughs burned her throat. She could feel the warmth of her own blood on her hands; a sign that her own end was near. If she were strong, if they had the medical supplies, if the healers had enough magic left in them, she could have survived. However, neither was true, and Hermione knew that her greatest value now lay in her death. She would buy her friends' escape with her life, but not yet. There was still one more thing left for her to do.  
  
"Mommy? Mommy, are you alright?"  
  
Hermione felt Amber's hand close tentatively around hers. She opened up her eyes to stare into the grey pools that reminded her each day of the pain of loss and betrayal. Only the overwhelming love she had for her daughter could make her overcome that pain and put the past behind her. But now . . . Now the only way to save her daughter's life lay in that past. She had no choice!  
  
"Amber, darling, I need you to run downstairs and bring uncle Harry and uncle Ron here. Can you do that for me Honey?"  
  
Her daughter nodded her head; her brown tresses flying as she rushed to find her uncles. But that was where the similarity between Amber and her ended. Amber had inherited Draco's eyes, Draco's nose, Draco's mouth. Hermione could only pray that her daughter did not inherit Draco's heart.  
  
~~~***~~~ She rushed up and hugged Madame Pomfrey in delight. She could feel joy rushing through her, ridding her of the doubts, the fears, and the uncertainties she had held in the past few months. She and Draco were going to have a baby! A child of there own, one that would look exactly like him. Already she could imagine a younger version of Draco, a girl or boy with blond hair and grey eyes, or perhaps, one with brown hair and grey eyes. Or . .  
  
"Hermione, dear, please. I know you're happy, but . ."  
  
"Oh Madame Pomfrey, there can't be any buts. This is the best thing that has happened to me in this entire year! I have to go and tell Draco!"  
  
"Hermione, wait . . ."  
  
But she wasn't listening as she ran out of the hospital wing, heading for the rooms that she shared with Draco. She had to tell him. It wouldn't matter now what his father did, what the Dark Lord would do. As long as they were together, as long as they had their child, everything would work out just fine.  
  
She rushed up the stairs, quickly mumbling the password to her quarters.  
  
Then, she saw him!  
  
Even before she saw before whom he was kneeling, even before she recognized the men surrounding him, their heads bowed in reverence, even before the stream of dark curses shot out at her, Hermione knew! The heart-rending sting of betrayal threatened to choke her as she realized that Draco had made his choice, she realized that despite the love they had for each other in their past life, despite the love she felt for him now, Draco had chosen a path that could never include her. He had chosen to stand at Voldemort's side, to one day take his place, and in that process, kill her and all that she held dear.  
  
She welcomed the darkness that engulfed her, for it stopped her from feeling the pain. She had trusted him so implicitly, loved him so completely, and he returned her affections with a betrayal that had cost her a friend's life. As she fell into his arms, she knew that the pain she felt that day would only be the beginning. And she was right!  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Hermione! Hermione, come on, please, open your eyes." Harry said, his hands shaking as he wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. He looked at Ron who was now holding on to Amber, a silent message sent between them. She was dying.  
  
"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Harry, you have to help me."  
  
"Yes, we'll get you to Madame Pomfrey right away. I don't care what the costs are, we'll get her to help you."  
  
Hermione shook her head, trying desperately to regain her strength.  
  
"No. That's not what I mean."  
  
The desperation in her voice must have alerted Harry, for he frowned. However, he was distracted by Professor Dumbledore's entrance.  
  
"Ms.Granger, let me try to heal you. I've recovered from my last attack, I feel. . . ."  
  
Hermione shook her head. She smiled weakly.  
  
"Headmaster, I . . . it'll take too much of our resources to help me, and even then, I would be of little help to you. I will never recover fully from this injury. I did not ask Amber to bring Harry and Ron here to save me. I asked them to come here because I have a plan. One that can save most of our lives"  
  
Professor Dumbledore sighed, and finally nodded.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, I'll cast Completio Protigus charm. I'm one of the few of us here who can still cast it. While I do so, you can end the anti- apparition spell, so that the rest of us can apparate away from here. I'm weak, so the charm won't give you much time, but it'll be enough for most of you to escape."  
  
"I'll cast the charm Hermione. You're too weak, it'll kill you." Ron said.  
  
"No. Ron, you can still fight, you can still help Harry get rid of Voldemort. I can't, not any more. Whoever casts that spell, able-bodied or not, will either die or get captured by the Dark forces. If I die casting it, you won't be loosing much."  
  
"But Hermione . . ." Harry protested  
  
"I'm dying Harry. Even Amber can sense that. That's why she's been shadowing me all this while. Come here honey." Hermione said and shifted so that Amber could rush into her arms.  
  
"I don't have any regrets. This is the most logical choice, and you know it. Only Ron, you, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and I have mastered this charm. Only we can cast it with enough force to block out the Dark Forces completely, for a while. The alliance can't afford to loose any of you, it can only afford to loose me. Let me do this."  
  
"Ms. Granger. You have a daughter, and she still needs you. You're asking me to make her an orphan. Do you really think that I can do that?" Professor Dumbledore asked, his voice tired. He had seen too much death, and had lost too many that were dear to him. He couldn't afford to loose another, but apparently, he had little choice.  
  
"No, Professor, I'm not asking you to make her an orphan. What I am asking you do, before I cast the spell, is to send her to her father."  
  
A silence took over the three men. Ron was the first to loose his temper.  
  
"Are you mad, Hermione? You're going to send Amber to that son of a bitch? He's Voldemort's right hand, his proclaimed successor! How can you even think of sending Amber to him?"  
  
Hermione closed her eyes. She didn't have the strength to argue, but she knew that she had to. It was the only way to save Amber's life.  
  
"I agree with Ron. That piece of slime has never even acknowledged Amber's existence. The spell that's killing you right now was his creation. He's not the Draco you loved, he's not even the Draco you knew. He betrayed you, he betrayed all of us. It is because of him that we are so vulnerable to Voldemort's attacks. And you're asking me to send my niece to him?  
  
Slowly, Hermione collected her strength. She could only say this once, and she needed to convince them. She tightened her arms around her daughter, hoping against all that Amber would remember her words, years from now, when she was no longer there.  
  
"Harry, Ron, Professor. You don't need to convince me that Draco's evil, I know, first hand. The wound he dealt me 5 years ago still hurts me, and I will never forget what he did to us, to Hogwarts. But the truth remains. I can no longer take care of Amber, I'm dying."  
  
Hermione lifted her hand to ward off Harry and Ron's protests.  
  
"I know that Harry and Ron would be willing to take care of her, but the fact is that they can't. After tomorrow, you will all be on the run, hiding from death eaters who now occupy this entire continent. It will be years, decades, before you gather enough force to make another stand. That is, IF you survive. We have to face the fact that you simply can't escape if you have a four year old girl to worry about. It isn't possible, especially with Ginny nearing her time."  
  
Hermione covered her mouth as another bout of coughs attacked her, and she winced at the worry in Amber's eyes. Her daughter had grown up to quickly, she had seen her slow, torturous journey towards death. She feared for her daughter's future, especially now.  
  
"I'm alright honey. Don't worry." She said softly.  
  
"What are you asking, Ms. Granger?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.  
  
"Amber's best chance of survival, of a safe life, is with Draco. None of you can deny that." She said flatly.  
  
"If that son of a bitch cared about her, he would have made a move to reach her by now. Since he left Hogwarts, he's pretending as if neither you nor she ever existed." Ron ground out.  
  
"He has never made a move to reach her because he never knew that she existed. I never told him."  
  
Again, there was silence. But this time, Hermione saw a flicker of hope in Professor Dumbledore's eyes.  
  
"That's a cruel secret to keep, Ms. Granger. When he finds out, Mr. Malfoy will be furious with you." He said. However, his tone was not as dire as it was a while ago. It was clear, to Hermione, that Professor Dumbledore was agreeing to her request.  
  
"If you help me, he will find out about her tonight. By tomorrow, when he finds me, I'll be dead." She said, all the while wiping the tears from Amber's eyes. She had thought of excluding Amber from this conversation, but decided against it. She needed Amber to remember, for the only thing that could further shatter her heart, was if her only daughter succumbed to the temptation of evil. Suddenly, she felt her breath shorten, and darkness reach for her, once more. But this time, this time she was certain that her daughter would be safe.  
  
As Hermione slowly fell into unconsciousness, Professor Dumbledore said sagely  
  
"Don't be so sure Ms. Granger. You and Mr. Malfoy were destined to be, and now, I think, destiny has once again come into play."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Disclaimer: of course I don't own these characters! I wouldn't be going to school otherwise.  
  
A/N: Dear all, please remember that an author needs reviews to motivate her to write. If you don't review, I'd think that you didn't like this fic, and I won't update as fast :-P. Remember, constructive criticism is appreciated. 


	2. Bound for All Time

A/N: Wow, I didn't know there was this much interest in the sequel. I'm flattered. Oh, by the way, those reviews are working, I'm very much inclined to write again. Keep going, and this story will update faster!  
  
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.-  
  
CHAPTER 2: Bound for All Time  
  
Draco Malfoy stared out of his tent at what used to be Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was here that he had spent the happiest days of his life, and it was here that he decided to turn his heart to stone. The defenses of the school were crumbling, and by tomorrow morning, Hogwarts would be no more.  
  
He could not help but wonder where she was. Contrary to what the Dark Lord thought, Hermione had never left his heart or his mind. There was not a day when he did not think of her, there was not a day when he did not yearn to fold her in his arms, again. He had loved her, and he loved her still. But love was not the problem, it never was. It simply wasn't enough.  
  
Even now, he did not regret his actions. He did not regret the betrayal, he did not regret breaking her heart. He had craved the power, and he had known, long since, that he was destined to greatness. With this final battle, the Dark Lord would be secure in his power, and through him, Draco would reign. Wizards would once again walk the earth as what they are- superior beings, drawing respect and fear from those who had never learned the art of magic. It was nearly over.  
  
"Mommy!!! Mommy no!!!! Mommy don't leave me!!!!!"  
  
The scream that pierced the night air brought Draco to his senses. He rushed out of his tent. This was his domain - not even the most important of his Generals was allowed near the camp, not even the strongest of magic could break the shield. Yet, she was there.  
  
As he approached the hunched body of a crying girl he felt his stomach knot. Those brown tresses, long and unruly, reminded him too much of the girl he had once known. But when he turned the sobbing child to him, he found himself staring into his own likeness. The tear drenched eyes were the same dark grey as his, so was the sculpted nose and thin mouth. But the heart-shaped face, belittled by the mounds of hair, was Hermione's. It was her child . . .and his!!  
  
Draco felt his fury unleash itself. Hermione had had a child, and she had never told him! All this time, for five long years, she had kept her child from him, and him from her. If he had known . . .  
  
His thoughts stopped as reality hit him. Even if he did, it would not have changed his decision.  
  
"Are you my father?" the shaky voice resonated in his head.  
  
Slowly, he nodded. There was no need to question, no need to deny. The girl staring at him had his eyes, his features, his blood.  
  
Thwapp!!  
  
The slap took him by surprise, but he was ready as the small fists attacked him with full force. He lifted the child, kicking and screaming, and brought her inside his tent.  
  
"Stop it!" He ordered - a voice which would have caused the most accomplished of Dark Wizards to shake with fear.  
  
The child ignored him.  
  
She proceeded to kick him, punch him, doing absolutely anything to bring him harm. Stunned, Draco remained still, waiting for the child's strength to leave her. It did.  
  
She fell down at his feet, panting with exhaustion. But her eyes were still filled with anger, her lips pursed mutinously. She did not speak.  
  
"You know that I am your father?" He stated.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Then why did you attack me?"  
  
She stared at him.  
  
"Speak!"  
  
"You're evil! You're making mommy die!" She spat at him, her eyes, once again, filling up with tears.  
  
Draco's breath caught as reality hit him. The only reason Hermione would have given up her daughter to him was if she were dead. And now, the child was in his tent.  
  
Slowly, he kneeled down.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
The girl let her tears fall and violently shook her head. In doing so, she drew attention to the silver chain on her neck.  
  
On the chain was a silver ring- two snakes entwined, their ruby and emerald eyes glittering in the night. Even without touching it, Draco could feel its texture within his hand. The remnant of a gift and a curse - given when he still thought that love would endure the tests of fate.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
He rushed through the dark halls, trying desperately to rein in his fear. Since the day he followed her into the land between life and death, it was as if they shared the same soul. He could sense her fear, he could sense her pain. He would know even before he could see her tears fall that she was crying. Likewise, she could sense his restlessness, his ambition, and his dilemma. She could sense the evil that was calling to him; she could feel him slowly reach for power.  
  
And now, he could sense the shadows closing in around her. For days he had known that she was slipping closer and closer to the edge, and he had done nothing. What could he do? Unlike the last time that the shadows called to her, he was the center of her pain. He was the pressure that was overwhelming her, the warmth that was deserting her, and the fear that was tearing her apart. And now, if he did not find her, she would once again be drawn into the abyss of pain and blood.  
  
He slammed through the doors of the astronomy tower, and there he found her staring, knife in hand, gazing into the black night that held neither star nor moon.  
  
"Hermione, I . .."  
  
She turned towards him, her eyes drenched with tears as they were once, a year ago. Slowly, he reached for her, and took the knife out of her hands.  
  
"I was so close, Draco. I almost .. . . . if you came a moment later . . . . . . if you . ."  
  
Her voice broke, and with a stifled curse, he drew her into his arms, willing that his strength would pour into her, stopping her will from breaking.  
  
"It's alright. I'm here now. I'll always be here for you. You've fought it for so long, I won't let you break again. I promise."  
  
His voice was soothing, but even then, he could sense her doubt. She knew far too much; too much for her to believe that he would always be there for her.  
  
"Did . . . . did you do it?" She asked.  
  
He felt his heart freeze. She knew!  
  
She looked up at him, her heart in her eyes.  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shook his head. There were some things that were better left unsaid.  
  
"You ask questions you do not want to hear the answer to." He smoothed her hair with his hand.  
  
"All you need to know is that I love you. Isn't that enough?"  
  
He could sense her shattering, a light torn apart one breath at a time.  
  
"I could forgive anything, Draco." She said softly.  
  
"But what you do, what you feel, what you choose, it tears me apart."  
  
Her eyes grew haunted and he could feel warmth leave her.  
  
"Tell me you didn't kill them! Tell me, and I'll believe you." She pleaded.  
  
He shook his head. Her tears were pouring freely now, silver drops desperately filling the void of night.  
  
"I don't have your strength Draco. Your quest for power will destroy me. You're forcing me to choose between you and what I know is right! Do you know how many times I've been tempted to tell Harry and Ron what you did, what you're going to do?" She accused.  
  
"Did you?!" His grip tightened, his eyes shone with malice.  
  
"There! Can't you feel it? Just a mention of crossing you stirs your hatred! There's an emptiness in you, an unquenchable hunger. It's like you're walking into a void, and you're dragging me through it as well!"  
  
"Did you tell them?!" He ground out.  
  
"No. I didn't! Are you happy? And that's what's killing me! That's what's eating me up inside, making me want to do anything, do hear me, anything, so that I won't have to face it day and night."  
  
Her words were tumbling out of her, laced with fury and despair. Yet she clung to him, leaning on him for support.  
  
"I love you Draco, and that love is killing me!" She whispered.  
  
"I won't let it!" He snapped.  
  
She looked up at him.  
  
"Soon, I'll have to choose sides. And Draco, it won't be with you. It can never be with you."  
  
He cupped her face in his hands and stared into her eyes.  
  
"It will."  
  
With those words he pulled a ring off his finger and slipped it onto hers. The entwined snakes gleamed in the night, the Malfoy signet.  
  
"Legamo."  
  
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she heard the curse. Swiftly she tried to pull the ring off, but it was too late. The emerald and ruby shone with a light of its own. The two streams of light entwined and reached to circle his finger.  
  
Hermione looked up at him in horror, her eyes accusing, questioning, and begging.  
  
"Draco, no. Don't do this."  
  
He shook his head. His decision had been made long before this day.  
  
His eyes clouded, and as if in a trance, he murmured.  
  
"For as long as your love for me outweighs all, we will be forever bound. My strength will be your strength. My Will will be your will. My heart will be your heart."  
  
His words rung through the still air, and then, slowly, his eyes cleared.  
  
"Now, you can never betray me." He said, his voice fire and ice all in one.  
  
Hermione's voice rang with heartbreak as she moved into his embrace.  
  
"But you have already betrayed me!!"  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Now Draco understood why his control over her had broken the day she saw him accept the Dark Lord. Now he understood why she was able to warn her friends from danger once she had regained consciousness. It was not that she had no longer loved him. She simply had loved their unborn daughter more. In that love, she had broken the spell; she had set herself free.  
  
As he gazed at his daughter, still staring morosely into the fire, ignoring him and his pain, Draco felt his chest tighten for the first time in many years. She had kept this ring; she had kept their daughter. No matter the paths they had taken, the betrayal, heartbreak, and despair he had caused her, she had cherished what he had given her. They were still, and forever will be, bound!  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ____  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.  
  
A/N: In case you didn't know, you can ask me to email you when I update. All you have to do is tell me in your review and WRITE OUT your email in the review, whether you're signed in or not. Then whenever I update, I'll write you an email. 


	3. The Point of No Return

A/N: Dear all, again, if you want emails when I update, write out your email in your reviews. Before each flashback there is a ~~~***~~~ sign and when it ends, that sign is repeated. If you didn't really understand the last chapter, basically Amber was sent to Draco. Once he saw the ring on Amber's neck, he has a flashback to when he gave Hermione this ring. Basically, he used some sort of mind control charm that makes "his will her will," but the condition of the charm is that she must love him above all else. Reminder: the flashbacks aren't necessarily in chronological order, and in this case, the flashback was set before the one in Chapter 1.  
  
Besides that, not much.  
  
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.-  
  
CHAPTER 3: The point of no return  
  
"My Lord Draco, the anti-apparition shield is down, but something's blocking our entry. Everyone who's tried to apparate into the school has been stunned." Zabini informed Draco in a rush.  
  
"Who is in charge of this attack?" Draco asked.  
  
"Your father, my lord." Zabini replied.  
  
Draco flicked his wand and ordered curtly.  
  
"Lucius!"  
  
A tired-looking man appeared in front of him, kneeling. Draco did not even bother to look. It had been a long time since his power had surpassed that of his father, and as Voldemort's right hand, he could kill Lucius Malfoy if he so wished. But no! His father was useful to him and, for that reason alone, he still lived.  
  
"You know the counter charm, why have you not cast it?" He asked.  
  
"I did." was the reply.  
  
"And?"  
  
"It didn't work." Lucius said simply.  
  
Draco frowned. There were only a few people with enough power to withstand a counter curse made by Lucius Malfoy, and even then, the extent of magic that needed to be used to block out he Dark Side completely would drain the most accomplished of wizards, even Dumbledore himself. As the different possibilities crossed his mind, Draco felt his gut wrench with fear. It couldn't be! They wouldn't let her!  
  
He lifted his wand and clasped it in front of his chest with both hands.  
  
"Eliminare Protegus!"  
  
The instant he said those words he felt his magic hit a net of protection, a net he had encountered once before, five years ago. There was no mistaking it, for instead of the magic eliminating each other like it should; it melded, trying to mend the breach that separated him and Hermione. But this time, he could sense a life-force within that magic. A life-force that was quickly fading with each breath she took.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
He ran through the forbidden forest, the other Death Eaters following in his wake. They needed to hurry. Once the older students were out of Hogwarts, they would be able to apparate and disappear without a trace. He had already lost the younger ones. Somehow, Albus Dumbledore had foreseen his conversion and managed to send the children back to their homes before he had closed the Floo channel. It did not matter, the older children were his prerogative, more specifically, Harry Potter!  
  
"Harry, Ron, we can't make it. Get them out of here; I'll buy you some time."  
  
He frowned as he heard that voice. Hermione? It was impossible! She was bound to him, her will suppressed by his. It couldn't be her, unless . . .he felt his heart clench, unless she no longer loved him.  
  
"Harry, go! He won't hurt me! Go now!"  
  
It was Hermione! So it was she who had alerted Dumbledore to his plans. He knew that his anger should have been directed to her disloyalty, but it was not. The realization that she was able to break free from his curse had touched him at a far deeper level. She had fallen out of love with him, and in doing so, betrayed him.  
  
"Completio Protegus."  
  
The moment he heard those words he felt a net of protection blocking his party from its prey. Instinctively, he said the counter-curse, and matched his magic with hers. His will to destroy was as powerful as her desire to protect, and as their forces clashed in the night, they both realized that they had passed the point of no return. The fact that their magic refused to eliminate each other completely, the fact that their forces continued to meld even as his curse broke slowly through her shield did not matter. Despite their past, they had no future. Love had not prevailed, and now, they had chosen to be on opposite sides of the war that would consume the entire world.  
  
'Draco. Draco please, let them go!"  
  
He could hear her voice in his head. Now that their magic was pitched against each other, connected, their thoughts were linked as never before. It was one thing to sense each other's feelings, another to hear their thoughts. Knowing that it may be the last time that they would ever talk, he answered.  
  
'Lower the shield Hermione, let me pass.'  
  
'No! I won't let another person die because of what I feel for you.'  
  
'You feel nothing for me! If not, you would never have been able to break free from the charm!' He raged.  
  
'Damn you Draco. You destroyed the future that we could have had together. I have so much to tell you, so much to explain, but now, it's too late'  
  
The disparity he could feel in her threatened to choke him. With in her desire to protect, there was a sadness within her, and heart breaking into a thousand pieces.  
  
'I love you! That should have been enough! What else could you have asked of me?' He asked, knowing that he wasn't being fair.  
  
'The same thing you forced out of me. You demanded that I give up everything I held dear for you, and you offered me nothing in return!'  
  
'I offered you love . .'  
  
'Love is not enough! By forcing me to follow you, you made me give up my soul! You made me protect the man who murdered my friend! You made me an accomplice .. !'  
  
'Enough!' He ordered, for the tears that he could feel her shedding were his as well.  
  
'You tried to destroy everything you loved about me, and I can't let you do that.'  
  
'So you chose to betray me instead? Is that it?' He asked.  
  
'I chose to protect my friends, Draco, and if that means tearing my own heart to shreds, then so be it!'  
  
He felt her magic weaken, and he could sense the pain that her injuries were causing her.  
  
'Hermione, stop damn it! You're still weak, and even in strength you could never withstand my power. No matter who I am, what stands between us, I do not want you dead! Lower the shield!'  
  
He could feel the net drop. Quickly, he advanced to where the spell had been conjured. He found her standing there, her tears falling into the night.  
  
"Follow them!" he ordered the other Death Eaters, knowing that it would be fruitless. Hermione would only have lowered the shield after her friends had escaped. However, his priority was to talk to her, alone.  
  
"So you no longer love me!" He said, the finality in his voice making it a statement rather than a question.  
  
Slowly, she shook her head.  
  
"Can you really believe that Draco? After all that we have been through, can you truly believe that?"  
  
He advanced towards her, his hand clasping round her arm in a death grip as he yanked her to him.  
  
"What else would you have me believe? You betrayed me!" He roared.  
  
He could feel her trembling, but it was anger, not fear, that he sensed within her.  
  
"What choice did you leave me with Draco? You killed the centaurs in the forest to stop them from foreseeing your plans! You killed Neville because Voldemort wanted you to! And if I didn't stop you today, you would have killed my friends! Our friends! And for what?"  
  
"You knew my destiny! Would you have had me walk away, knowing that the power is mine to take?" He asked, his anger and hurt equaling hers, as his hands clenched around her shoulders and shook her roughly.  
  
"Yes, Draco, I would! This power will consume you, it will destroy you! Why couldn't you be happy with what you had? It was more than anyone could dream for!" She spat back.  
  
"The Malfoy legacy? Wealth? That was all I had, and you knew that it wasn't enough." He argued.  
  
Painfully, Hermione reached to touch his face.  
  
"No Draco, you had me; we had each other, and more. And now, all we have is a broken love that will plague us until our deaths."  
  
"Only your love is broken, Hermione, not mine." He accused.  
  
Her tears fell as she shook her head.  
  
"If only it were, Draco. If only it were."  
  
With those words, she shoved hard against him, freeing herself from his grasp. He saw her hands close around a portkey, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
'Hermione, can you hear me?' He asked with his mind.  
  
The net that was protecting Hogwarts was now more life force than magic, and even so, it was getting weaker. When he tried to access her mind, all that met him was a haze. She was barely conscious.  
  
'Hermione, if you don't answer me, now, I will leave your daughter to die! Do you hear me?'  
  
From behind the haze he could sense a flicker of light. She understood him, but was too weak, or unwilling, to answer.  
  
Against his better judgment, he channeled his own magic into her, giving her enough strength to regain consciousness.  
  
'Don't you dare use my own magic against me Granger, we need to talk, and that's what it is for.'  
  
'You would never kill your own daughter.'  
  
Her thoughts were laced with panic.  
  
'How do I even know that she's mine?' He goaded, forcing her to hold on to her own life.  
  
'You know there could never anyone else for me. I loved you.'  
  
Even as the words ran through his mind, he could sense her weakening. It was not only the spell that was killing her, but a wound received long ago, the remnants of a spell that he remembered creating.  
  
'Hermione, lower the shield. Let me help you before it is too late.' He pleaded, no longer caring whether or not her friends had escaped.  
  
'It is already too late. There can be no more help for me Draco. Take care of Amber, and let her take care of you.'  
  
Her thoughts drifted through him, now merely a whisper. The shield was falling, and with it, her.  
  
'You can't die. I won't allow it.' He thought as the connection was broken.  
  
In an instant, he was by her side. For the second time in his life, he held her hand, knowing that she was mere steps from death, and that he had brought it on her.  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of them  
  
A/N: Sorry, it was a bit short. Will make up for it later. 


	4. The Tie that Binds

a/n: hi there! Another update from me!  
  
Hmm. remember, flashbacks are introduced by the ~~~***~~~ sign, and that same sign signals it's end.  
  
P.s. it seems that I'm writing these flashbacks haphazardly, I'm sorry. The flash back in this chapter occurs long before the other ones, as will be evident.  
  
*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to Love Me.-  
  
CHAPTER 4: The Tie that Binds  
  
"My Lord, there is nothing that I can do! The witch is dying!"  
  
The Healer mumbled, terrified. No one had ever seen Draco Malfoy this way. He had always been in control of his emotions; only his actions belied what his was feeling. But now, but now anyone could sense that his fury was about to be unleashed.  
  
"She is dying, but she isn't dead! You are a healer, heal!" Draco thundered.  
  
"My Lord, the only thing keeping her from death is the magic you are channeling into her. It keeps her heart beating, but that heart is no longer working. It has suffered too many wounds, my lord, wounds that can never be healed!" The healer tried to explain.  
  
"What wounds?" Draco asked icily, his hand already grasping menacingly for his wand.  
  
"Well sir, it seems that urr. her heart had been stabbed before, and it had miraculously healed, but not completely. Even then, her heart was very weak. She would have survived, but she made it worse by bearing a child. That put too much strain on her heart and body, and depleted her of the energy she needed to keep her heart beating. Then, she was hit by the 'lenta mortia' curse, and as you know, seeing as you created it sir, the curse is designed to slowly squeeze the heart and lungs until they . . . ."  
  
"Enough!"  
  
The healer squealed as the table next to him burst into flames, but he did not move. There was no telling what Draco Malfoy would do to him if he did. Silenced filled the air, until finally, the healer explained.  
  
"It is not my fault sir. If she had had the proper healing, the medication, the care before this, perhaps, she could have survived. No sir, she would never have been healthy or strong, but she would have lived. However, she came to me too late. I could have helped her, perhaps, if I met her a year, or half a year ago. But now . . .."  
  
"Leave us!" Draco hissed.  
  
Quickly the healer bowed and exited the room.  
  
****** For hours, Draco held Hermione's hand, pouring his magic into her to keep her alive. But now, now that he was perhaps one of most powerful wizards in the world; he did not have enough magic to save her. He was slowing her death, not protecting her from it. The moment he let go of her hand, her heart would stop beating.  
  
At first, his rage was directed towards her friends. How could they have let her fall this far? Why didn't anyone stop her from giving birth to their child? They must have known, 5 years ago, what the pregnancy would do to her heart, to her body. Damn it! They should have stopped her! And even afterwards, they could have helped her, but they didn't! They could have healed her the moment after she was hit by the 'lenta mortia' curse, but instead, they had left her to die! Those fools! The moment he found them, he would make sure that they all burned in hell.  
  
But later, Draco was forced to realize if Hermione's death was anyone's fault, it was his. If he had stayed with her, waited long enough to find out about their child, he could have convinced her that her life was more precious to him than anything else. And even if she still chose to give birth, he could have been there to make sure that she was properly cared for. Instead, he had condemned her to the life of a fugitive - running from Death Eaters, hiding from his forces, and all the while being alone. It was he who had created the 'lenta mortia' curse. It was his forces that cornered the alliance wherever they went. It was he who had cut off their medical supplies and created more injuries than their healers could deal with. And now, and now he would have to live with the memory of being responsible for the death of the only person he had ever loved.  
  
"Is Mommy dead?"  
  
For a moment, Draco struggled to remember who the child was. Its existence had slipped out of his mind the moment he had realized that Hermione was going to die. But now, now the child would be all he would have left.  
  
"IS MOMMY DEAD?" Amber screamed at the man she was told was her father. He was responsible for this! He was responsible for making her mother die!  
  
"No, not yet. But soon!" Draco said softly, mirroring the despair in the child's voice. He flinched at the anger he saw in his daughter, the anger that was directed towards him.  
  
"Then Heal her! This is Your Fault! Fix it!" Amber screamed as she rushed to her mother's body. She clambered onto the bed, and felt her mother's forehead. It was cold, too cold.  
  
"I can't!" The finality in his voice shocked even him.  
  
"Then why are you here? Go! Get out!" she screamed.  
  
"Because if I let go of her, she WILL die! Now! And I can't let that happen." He snapped back  
  
The large grey pools fixed on his face, searching, seeing the despair that was tearing him apart, the love that he felt for her dying mother, the regret for what could have been.  
  
"You love her, don't you?" She asked, her voice too sage to belong to a four-year-old girl.  
  
Slowly, Draco nodded.  
  
"And she loves you, more than anything." The girl's words was a statement, not a question.  
  
Draco shook his head.  
  
"She loves you more, daughter." He said softly.  
  
"Amber"  
  
"What?"  
  
"My name is Amber."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Hermione, what are you doing here?" He asked, a bit groggily. It was the middle of the night, and instead of being in his warm bead at the Head Boy quarters where he belonged, he was standing in the unheated library wearing an invisibility cloak.  
  
"Oh, I just wanted to look something up. I'll be back in a second." She answered, running her hand quickly along the spine of some books.  
  
"You're in the restricted section." He stated, trying to get her attention.  
  
"Uh hah." Was all he got in reply.  
  
"It's late."  
  
"Ummm"  
  
"Hermione! Look at me when I talk to you." He ordered. Being linked, he could sense that something was wrong. She was scared!  
  
Hermione sighed and looked up at him.  
  
"There is no secret I could hide from you is there?" She asked, but her tone was light; amused.  
  
"Nor I from you. Now spill it. What scared you?" He asked.  
  
"I had a dream." She said simply.  
  
"Another one? You've been getting a lot of those lately, since . ."  
  
"Since I came back from the dead?" She suggested.  
  
"If you must call it that." He acquiesced gruffly.  
  
"Well, I had another one, and I'm beginning to think that they aren't merely dreams. That's why I thought I could look up some more stuff about our . . . . err . . ."  
  
"Past lives?"  
  
Hermione sighed.  
  
"We have to stop finishing each other's sentences, you know. Harry and Ron are beginning to get suspicious." She chided.  
  
"I don't give a damn about what Potter and Weasel, . . I mean Weasley, think. And stop trying to distract me, why are you scared?  
  
"In my dream, I keep on seeing Amber."  
  
"The Slytherin Bride?" he asked. "I thought we freed her when I chose love over power and all that."  
  
"Yes. I thought so too. But I've been seeing her in my dreams so often lately. She's back there, in the forest, crying."  
  
"That's no surprise. That's all she ever does. And why should that scare you?" He said sardonically, ignoring the pang of guilt that was attacking him. It was clear to him, now, that although he had brought Hermione back, he did not choose love over power. Instead, he was trying to have them both.  
  
"You're feeling guilty. Why?" She asked.  
  
He shook his head and pulled her to him.  
  
"Nothing. I just don't like seeing you scared, that's all. Some how I feel that it's my fault." He cajoled, distracting her with a kiss.  
  
"Oh no. It's not that at all. You're perfect." She muttered. "It's just that, in my dream, The Amber witch keeps on staring at me, no INTO me, and then she cries. And I'm just worried that maybe she sees something in our future that's bad. She is a Seer after all."  
  
"Well, I'll just make sure that you won't be crying in the future then." He assured her, already guiding her out of the library and back their rooms.  
  
"Well, I'm not that worried. I mean, the dream does end on a positive note." She said as they mounted the stairs.  
  
"How does it end?"  
  
"She touches my womb and says 'Don't worry! I'll be with you.'" Hermione said, her face aglow.  
  
He quirked a brow and asked  
  
"Are you trying to tell me something Hermione?"  
  
She blushed and shook her head.  
  
"No. No that. It's just, if we ever have a daughter, I mean, in the future, I'm thinking about calling her Amber."  
  
"How about we get an early start at trying to make her?" He asked with a mischievous smile.  
  
"Now?" Hermione questioned, her eyes wide.  
  
"Now!"  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Mommy's waking up!" Amber said excitedly.  
  
Draco looked down at Hermione's face. It was true, her eyelids were fluttering almost imperceptibly. It was a wonder Amber could tell.  
  
"Hermione, darling. Open your eyes. . . . Please."  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Hermione's eyes opened.  
  
"Draco . . .. you shouldn't do this. Your magic . . ."  
  
"Shhh .. . . I'm powerful enough that this won't affect me. But even if it did, I wouldn't let you die." He crooned.  
  
"But . .."  
  
"Mommy. Are you going to be ok?" Amber asked. Mentally, Draco thanked her for distracting Hermione.  
  
"I . . . I'll be fine Honey." But her eyes were fixed on Draco's. Even now, after all the time they had spent apart, she could still sense what he was feeling. She wasn't going to be fine.  
  
"Don't worry, Hermione. I'll find away . ."  
  
Hermione shook her head. There was no way. She gazed into Draco's eyes, sensing the worry, the concern, and . . . Oh God. . . the love! He loved her so much, even now. It was almost as if the years disappeared, as if the walls of hurt and pain were crumbling away before her eyes. She began to remember the love they had for each other, and the love she had for him before he turned into the monster that he was.  
  
"Amber, . . . listen to me." She said finally.  
  
"Mommy?" Amber's eyes were once again brimming with tears.  
  
"Honey, please. Even when . .. I'm . . . gone, I'll still be with you. I promise."  
  
Amber just shook her head and said "Then take me with you, Mommy! Please, just take me . .. "  
  
"Amber, I need you to do something for me, . . . . something very important." Hermione said, her eyes telling Draco to hold Amber. He did.  
  
"You see Amber, I love you, but I also love your Father, Draco. And I need you to take care of him when I'm gone."  
  
Amber just shook her head.  
  
"Hermione, you're not going to die. I won't let you."  
  
"You can't stop it Draco. You can't keep on pouring your magic into me forever." She argued.  
  
"If that's what it takes, then that's what I'll do." He said resolutely.  
  
"don't you have a world to conquer?" She asked.  
  
"It can wait!"  
  
Hermione sighed. Arguing with Draco was too exhausting, even when she was well. She let her eyes droop.  
  
"Hermione, I'll find a way out of this mess. I promise."  
  
Laboriously, Hermione shook her head.  
  
"You can't die! I love you too damn much." Hermione sighed. Mentally, she answered  
  
'I love you too. More than you'll ever know."  
  
Disclaimer: no, I don't own these characters. Actually, I own Amber, lol, but not entirely. The "Amber Witch" belongs to Elizabeth Lowell (Forbidden), but little Amber was my creation.  
  
A/N: I thought a bit of fluffiness wouldn't hurt. 


	5. The Lords of Darkness

a/n:   Fluff or tears, what shall I be?  I don't know, really.  Lets see where this chapter takes me.  

***~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to ****Love****Me.****-**  
  
_CHAPTER 5: The Lords of Darkness_

"You did not answer my summons, Draco. "  Voldemort stated as he strode into the room.  

Draco said nothing.  His fingers were still clasped around Hermione's wrist, his magic nourishing her dying heart.  

Voldemort lay a gnarled hand on Draco's shoulder, his voice sympathizing as he said

"The witch's time has ended; the prophecy has been fulfilled.  Let her go."

"I can't loose her again."  Draco said, more to himself than any other.  

"You lost her a long time ago - the moment you chose the power that I offered you over her love.  Now, you are just prolonging her agony."  Voldemort argued.

"I'm prolonging her life!  I need her to live!"  Draco snapped.  

"I thought love is supposed to be selfless?"  t  

"Her's is."  Was Draco's reply.

"And yours is not?" 

"No."

After a while, Voldemort asked

"Do you recall the first time we met, Draco?'

Draco nodded.

"I told you then that you can not have both love and power.  You tried, and you failed.   End this, or I will end it for you."

~~~***~~~

"So, I guess you'll be cheering for Potter."  He said moodily as he walked towards the quidditch pitch with Hermione. 

"I AM a Gryffindor, Draco.  Of course I will be cheering for my house."  Hermione replied.

"Fine.  I don't care."  He stated. 

"Draco.. . . why are you so moody?"

"I'm not moody!  I just don't like it that you are going to be cheering for Potter instead of me!"  He snapped back.

Hermione stared at him for a minute, and then she giggled.

"Why the hell are you giggling?"  He shouted in frustration.

"Draco .  .. it can't be . . . you're jealous?"  Was Hermione's laugh punctuated reply.  

"I most certainly am not!"  He denied, and then he cursed when Hermione laughed harder.

"Draco … . you have no idea how ludicrous you're being … I mean .. Harry's completely smitten with Ginny!"  She said as she laced her arms around his neck, her eyes still full of mirth.  Despite his chagrin, his hands automatically clasped around her waist, pulling her to him.

"Mine is not the selfless love, Hermione.  I'm jealous, possessive, and selfish when it comes to you.  I hate it when I see you with Potter or Weasley and not I."  He said as he bent down to place a swift kiss on her forehead.

"You're jealous, possessive, and selfish when it comes to anything Draco.  You're just more so with me.  And . . . "  she pulled his face down and kissed him softly on the lips "you have nothing to worry about.  I love you, not him."  

He pulled her closer to him, strangely feeling as if he would never be able to hold her this way again.

"I can't loose you."  He murmured as he let her go.  

***

Draco cursed, as he saw, once again, that Harry Potter had spotted the snitch before him.  Knowing that the chances that he could waylay Potter now were slim, he swerved and accelerated towards his goal. If he couldn't get the snitch, there was still a chance that he could stop Potter from getting it.  

He feinted left, then he curved around the two Griffindor beaters blocking his path.  His eyes fixed on the snitch, he urged his broom faster, ignoring that fact that Harry Potter was straight in front of him.  From far away, he heard a Gryffindor Beater's triumphant shout moments before a bludger pummeled into his head and his world turned black.  

***

When he woke up, he found himself in a grey fog.  As he looked around, he saw nothing but emptiness.  Then, he spotted a serpent approaching him.  Intuitively, the way evil always recognizes other evil, he knew before whom he was standing.

"So, Draco, we finally meet."  The snake hissed.  "It has taken me great effort to draw you into my mind.  There is so much that we have to discuss in so little a time. " 

"Why are you so certain that I will take your side?  You know what happened last year."  Draco said, approaching the snake.

The snake chuckled, and slowly, it turned into human form.

"The prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, Draco, although many think that it has.  You are the next Dark Lord, it is your destiny."

"I don't give a damn about destiny."  Draco argued.  "Especially if it involves you trying to kill Hermione again."

Voldemort's cackle sent a chill up Draco's spine.  

"So, you have not yet forgiven me for that, have you?  Well, it matters not.  I'm not here today to take away.  I am here to make you an offer."

"What can you possibly offer me?"  Draco asked.

"Come, touch my hand."  Voldemort ordered.

Draco hesitated, but when Voldemort raised an eyebrow in a dare, he moved forward and took his hand.

Immediately, Draco felt a surge of energy move through him, making him able to access the reserves of strength and magic he had never known.  It was a power without boundaries, without limits.  It was one that could only grow and accumulate.  Yes, the magic was dark, hungry, and consuming, but if he could master it, he would be one of the most powerful wizards in wizarding history.  He wanted it, no matter what the cost!

"Can you feel it Draco?  Can you see how powerful you can become?  If you let me guide you, you will go beyond casting spells and brewing potions.  You will be able to channel your magic without words, create spells more lethal than those in existence, make potions that will give you the power to rule the world.  You want it!  I can feel it!  Your ambition precedes you; your thirst for power consumes you.  If you do not accept my offer, it will kill you."

"No offer comes without a price, Voledmort, what do you want from me?  Why do you want so desperately for me to join you?" Draco asked, drawing his hand away from the Dark Lord, temporarily relinquishing the power that was offered.

"You have what I need, Draco.  You are a pure-blood, and you are young.  Only with you will the noble families join me; only with your example will the younger wizards flock to my side.  I admit it; I need you!   But you need me as well, if you are ever going to learn how to use the power locked up inside of you."  The Dark Lord answered, dangling power in front of Draco, knowing full well that he would accept.  What choice did he have?

"You know that Hermione's not dead, and I will not allow her to die.  Can you accept that?"  Draco negotiated.

"It is not for me to accept or decline.  I will not harm her intentionally.  However, mark my words Draco, powerful men such as us are destined to stand alone.  We can not have both love and power, one will eventually destroy the other, and in your case, the girl may not live through the ordeal."  Voldemort warned.  

"Why not?"  Draco asked.

"You are one of the darkest wizards ever to be born.  She is the lightest witch alive.  Your destinies separate you.  Once your position is known, she will not choose your side; she can not.  It is her destiny to fight evil and die in the process, as was the destiny of the Slytherin bride.  You can not change that, and trying to, will wreak more suffering on her than you can ever imagine."

"I will not give her up!"  Draco stated with a finality that shocked even himself.   "I can not."

"Then your fates are already written.  Do what you wish; the result will be the same.  I shall not interfere with you and the girl, and as long as she is still at your side, no physical harm shall be done to her.  Now, will you join me?"  

Draco hesitated for only a second, then he nodded.  He reached out his hand, and Voldemort clasped it.  It was clear, whatever position he may take in front of others, he had joined Voldemort's side as his equal, and not his minion.

~~~***~~~

Draco looked up at the Dark Lord, his eyebrows furrowed in question.

"You once said that as long as she is at my side, she will not be harmed."  

"Her body is at your side, her heart is not.  She will continue to fight our reign, 'til the end."  Was the cold answer.

"Even if I am able to save her life, she will be of no threat to either of us.  She is too weak, especially now." 

"It is not her that I fear, Draco.  It is you!"  Voldemort argued.

"I chose your side long ago, and I have come too far to turn back.  I will not, not even for her."  

"Then I will leave you to her deathbed.  Tomorrow, Draco, I will need you at my side, and she can not be there.  Say your farewells, then let her go. 

***

"What are you doing?'  A small voice asked from the other side of the bed.  "You said that you can't let go of her.  You said that if you did, she will die!"  

Draco turned to his daughter, his eyes showing nothing but despair.

"I can not save her."  He whispered.

Amber shook her head.

"That is not true.  You will save her, I saw it!"

Draco frowned.

"What do you mean?  Perhaps, it was only a dream."

"No!!!"  Amber shouted.  "I saw it!! I saw you save her!  Just now!  And what I see always comes true."

Draco shook his head, dismissing her words as ramblings, and got up, his hand slowly leaving Hermione's.   He wasn't ready to let her go.

Amber, in frustration, got up and grabbed his hand, her fingers partly on him and on her mother.  He saw her shake, and then bolt, as if a jolt of lightning had been sent through her.   Her eyes glazed over, the grey pools turning into a haze.   And from her mouth, a prophecy, wrought by another voice, was made

_At the turn of the tide,_

_When light falls and darkness reigns,_

_Two Dark Lords will rise,_

_But only one shall remain._

_Choices made, and promises kept,_

_Led the two Lords on different paths,_

_In the meantime, tears we wept,_

_And no one was left unscathed._

_To cheat destiny, to spare a heart,_

_A Dark Lord bound himself to one,_

_With a tie that couldn't be torn apart;_

_A magic that can never be undone.___

_But in this choice, a plight was sowed,_

_And love was put again to test,_

_And on whom power will be bestowed,_

_Fate can neither foresee nor suggest._

_All that can be told, is that in life,_

_The lovers' will suffer no less than death,_

_And the world will again be torn with strife,_

_Until only a single Lord is left.___

Disclaimer: No, I don't own these characters.

A/n: I can't deny the tolkien influence in this story,  I just finished watching both of the Lord of the Rings movie again. 

Btw, I know that this chapter is more like many short little chapters.  I promise it won't happen again.  It's a transitional chapter that sort off lays the ground work for the rest of the story. 


	6. Blood Binding

**A/n:  Ok, all of you who've been screaming for fluff, this chapter's dedicated to you.  **

***~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to ****Love****Me.****-**  
  
_CHAPTER 6: Blood Binding_

Hermione's eyes fluttered.  Slowly, she was awakening from the darkness.  However, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't open them.  She simply didn't have the energy.  

She tried to shift her head.  She could hear Draco's voice from beyond the haze that surrounded her. 

He sounded . . . impatient, irritated, and angry.  She tried to move closer to his voice, to reach out to him as she always did when he was in one of his moods, but she couldn't.  She could not will her body to move.  Desperately, she tried to make out what he was saying.

" . . .  you have no right to deny me, priest.  I love her; she has given birth to my child.  You will bind us. . ."

Hermione frowned, or at least, her mind did.  She had a suspicion that he was talking about her.

". . . I do not care about what the Dark Lord said.  This is my life . . ."

If she could, she would have shaken her head.  When Draco spoke in that tone, nothing on earth, especially not a mere priest, would be able to stand between him and what he wanted.  'But what did he want from a priest?"

". . . Do not worry.  She will say the vows . . ."

Hermione felt the compulsion to sigh.  Draco always assumed that she would do whatever he wanted her to.  Most of the time he was right, but she doubted he would be this time.  She was too tired to open her eyes, let alone say some vows out loud.

". . . That is the point, you idiot!  Her blood must become one with mine.  Only that way will she be able to share my strength no matter the distance that separates us. . ."

Hermione's heart clenched.  

_Strength_

_Binding_

_Blood_

He couldn't mean . . .  

With all her strength, Hermione called out to him.   However, what she meant as a shout turned out to be a mere whisper.  Nonetheless, she could feel Draco's hand tightening round hers.

"It'll be over soon, Hermione.  I promise."

Desperately, she tried to shake her head, but nothing happened.  

"Draco.  You can't!  Don't do it!"  What all she could manage to whisper.

"A blood binding is the only way to save you, and I'll do anything to save you."  He countered.  

She felt him pick her up, moving her quickly . . . somewhere.

"T . .t . too dangerous.  You can't!"  She murmured 

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."  He replied.  

Resting against his chest, she could hear his heart racing.  He was speeding up; he was afraid.

"To kill you, they . . . .  they only have to kill me."  Hermione warned him.

"I will make sure that you won't die, then.  Won't I?"  

Hermione felt him stop.  Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the circle of protection that surrounded them.  The energy it emitted seeped into her, finally allowing her to open her eyes.  Her fingers itched to touch the face she knew so well; to smooth the creases of worry that had gathered between his brows.  Long ago, this man had stolen her heart – and now she realized she still had his.  

If only . . . 

"Do you know how long I've waited to look into your eyes again?"  he asked.

 Hermione couldn't stop a wan smile from forming on her face. 

"It couldn't have been that long"  She answered.

"It seems like an eternity."  He said as he tightened his arms around her body.

"I know."

~~~***~~~

"Hermione!"

She kept on walking.

"Hermione!  If you don't stop, I'll hex you.  You don't want to have the Head Girl and Boy fighting in the hall way on the first day of school now, do you?"

She sighed.  Damn it, damn it, damn it!!

She turned around, refusing to look up at him, trying to ignore how close together they were standing.

"You've been avoiding me."  Draco accused.

Almost imperceptibly, she nodded.

"Why?"

"I. . . I'm just . . I don't know how I'm supposed to act around you."  She finally blurted out.

Draco placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face up to him.

"Do you know how long I've waited to look into her eyes again."  He asked .

"It couldn't have been that long . . . We've just been apart for a couple of weeks."  She answered, mesmerized by the look in his eyes.  She wasn't used to him looking at her like that. 

"It seems like an eternity." He said as he moved his arm to circle her waist.  She gave out a little gasp as her body was crushed against his.  "I can barely wait for tonight, when we'll be alone together."

"Draco . . . We're in the hallway."  She protested.  

"I can fix that."  He said.  With a laugh he pulled her into an empty classroom.

"Draco stop it!"  Hermione protested as he bent down to kiss her.

He sighed.

"We've spent 3 weeks apart and now you're acting like a stranger.  What's going on?'  He asked.

"Nothing.   It's just that . . I don't know . . . what we are?  I mean . .   what we are to each other."  She stammered out, blushing as he caressed her face with his hand.

"You don't know?"  He asked incredulously.

"Well . . umm. . .  I do , sort off.  I . . . I'm just not sure where I stand with you.  I mean, now that school's started, and  . . .  well . . . we are who we are."

"I see."  He said, his voice too curt.

"Draco, I  . . don't be angry.  I'm not saying that I  . . that I don't . . "

"Yes??"  He asked.

"I . .I love you, Draco."  She whispered.  "You know that."

Draco heaved a sigh of relief and laughed as he scooped her up in his arms, causing her to give a little shriek.  

"So, what don't you know?"  He asked, nuzzling her cheak.

Hermione just shook her head.

"Do you want me to tell you that I love you again?"  he said, looking into her eyes.  "You know that I do."

Hermione gave him a weak smile.

"Lets see.  I love you, and you love me."  He said, his tone light.  "So what does that make us?"  He asked her.

"I don't know.   What does it make us, Draco?"  She asked softly as he bent down to kiss her.   It had been so long.  She had missed his touch; she had missed the feel of him against her – capturing, conquering, and surrendering, all at the same time.

"For one thing, sweetheart."  He said as he temporarily broke the kiss.   "it makes you mine."  

"It does?"  

She gasped as he moved to kiss her neck.

"Yes.  Definitely"  He answered before moving quickly away.  

"Ahem!"

At the doorway of the classroom stood Professor McGonagall.

"Yes Professor?"  He asked, his face a picture of innocence.

"The sorting ceremony's about to begin, Mr. Malfoy.  It would be unseemly if both the Head Boy and Head Girl are missing."  She said.

Quickly, Hermione rushed out of the classroom towards the Great Hall.  Draco followed her.

"And Mr. Malfoy …"

"Yes Professor?"

"Tell Ms. Granger to fix her hair before she goes in." 

~~~***~~~

"Let me make you mine."  He said softly.

"I'm already yours."  She whispered back.  "I've always been yours."

"And from now on, you will always be mine."  He told her before kissing her softly on the forehead.  He lowered her onto her feet, his arm circling her waist to keep her upright.

"Begin the Ceremony, priest."  Draco turned to order the elderly man in front of him.  He felt Hermione rest her head against his chest for support, her breath slowing.

"Hurry."  He ordered.

The priest hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing the look in Draco's eyes, he began.

_"May the place of this rite be consecrated.  We gather here in a ritual of love with the two who would be wedded."_

From the circle on the ground, light poured out, forming a dome of protection.  Two swords, one silver, one gold, appeared.  The silver one was larger, it's pommel a coiled snake, reaching up the hilt, with its face at the center of the guard.  The gold one was smaller, half the silver's size, and on its hilt was the face of a lion.

The priest reached out in front of him and lifted them.

"Draco Malfoy,"  he called.

Draco took the silver sword into his free hand.   The moment he touched it, he knew what to say.

_"With this sword, to you I swear.  _

_Against all, your toils I will bear.  _

_You I will support, you I will defend. _

_With you I will stay until the end."  _

He freed the sword from its binding, kissed the blade, and sheathed it.

The priest turned, the other sword in hand, and called

"Hermione Granger."

She turned to Draco and looked into his eyes.  How could he be so certain about this?  He knew the repercussions; the risks.  He knew that this marriage was not part of their destiny.  He was cheating fate, and nothing good never came of such an act.  It was too dangerous.

"I love you, Hermione.  I want you to be mine.  I need you to live. "

"But. . ."

"Forget all of it.  There is only this moment, only us.  Will you be mine?"

Hesitantly, Hermione reached to touch the sword.  The moment she came into contact with it, she felt a sense of rightness envelop her, assuring her that this was meant to be.  She braced herself against its weight as she lifted it, but surprisingly, it felt no heavier than a feather.  A golden glow escaped the sheath, reminding Hermione of her decision.  Come what may, she belonged with Draco, and him to her.

"_With this sword, I swear to you,_

_To this oath I'll forever hold true,_

_I shall love, honor, protect, and obey,_

_You as my husband, 'til my dying day."___

She freed the sword, kissed its blade, and returned it to its sheath.  

The two swords then lifted of their own accord, until they hung blade down in the air front of the bride and groom.  Theirs sheaths fell down, and with a whispered word from the priest, the gold and silver sheaths melded to form a chalice.  At the brim of the cup the tips of the two swords lay, waiting for the binding to be complete.

Draco reached out and pricked his finger on the golden blade and let a drop of his blood fall into the chalice.

"_With this blood, I bind my life to yours,_

_Into you, my strength and will shall pour,_

_In my life, you shall know no death,_

_For with me, your heart is forever kept."_

As he turned to Hermione, he noticed how pale she was.  She was now leaning completely against him, her eyes barely open.

"Hermione?"

Her eyelids flickered to reveal her tired eyes.  She gave him an assuring smile, and slowly, her hand shaking, she reached for the silver blade.  Her hand halted in mid air, about to drop, when the blades and the chalice moved towards it.

Draco looked at the priest, seeing in his eyes that this had never happened before.

Hermione pricked her finger on the blade, and the chalice moved to catch her drop of blood.  Smiling softly, she fell, causing Draco to once again lift her into his arms.  With great effort, she murmured.

"_With this blood, to you I am bound,_

_In our union, my own life is found._

_As long as I live, you shall not die,_

_Within you, shall all my powers lie."  _

With her words, the chalice filled to the brim with a silver liquid, joining their blood as one.   It floated towards them, lying stealthily between their faces.  Together, they drained its contents. .

_"We drink of our life as one."_

The chalice lifted and spun around the swords until all three were but a blur.  Then, silver and gold erupted into ethereal light.

The priest asked.

"_Is it your wish, Draco Malfoy, to join your life with this woman?"_

_"It is."  _Draco answered solemnly.

_"Is it your wish, Hermione Granger, to join your life with this man?"_

_"It is." _She whispered

With those words, the light condensed around the couple, forming a gold band on Draco's finger, and a silver one on Hermione's.  

"_As all are witness to this rite,_

_I know proclaim you husband and wife."_

The priest said as the dome of light disappeared from around them.

_"You may now kiss the bride."_

Disclaimer: information on the ceremony in this chapter comes from the site called "The pagan temple."  Ff.net doesn't let you put urls onto here, but the site is just pagantemple followed by .org.  I took some artistic licenses as to the actual proceedings and the vows, but the idea comes from the actual ceremony described there.   Of course, all the characters belong to J.K. Rowlings


	7. The Rift between the Lords

**a/n****:  ok, the thought of just ending the story there crossed my mind, but I decided against it.  However, I think that this chapter onwards is more like the third part of the trilogy, seeing as how there will be more flashbacks and will no longer be about Draco and Hermione's past together.  However, I didn't feel like leaving the story off there so I just continued this one. **

**This chapter's a bit heavy, I'm sorry, but well . . . hopefully it will sort off justify Draco and Hermione's past and present choices.  **

**Read and Review please.**

**_*~~ LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH: ~~*  
  
-A sequel to I Need You to _****_Love_********_Me._****_-_**_  
_  
_CHAPTER 7: The Rift Between Lords_

"So what happens now?"  Hermione asked softly from the bed.  Although she no longer had to fight for her own breath, she still wasn't strong enough to do much else.

"You'll rest and try to get better."  Draco said, still looking out the window.

Hermione reached out to tuck a lock of Amber's hair behind her daughter's ear.  Exhausted, Amber was fast asleep.

"You know very well that I won't get better Draco.  I'll be lucky if I'd be able to get off this bed in a year or two.  Besides, that wasn't what I meant, and you know it."

Sighing, Draco turned to face her.

"Why did I fall in love with someone who's too smart for her own good?"  He asked, his eyes belying his mood.   She could tell that he was worried.

"Come here."  She said softly.  When he sat on the bed, she reached out to smooth the furrow between his brows.

"I've been waiting to do that for awhile."

Draco caught her hand in his and kissed it.

"I missed you."

"You're trying to distract me."  She countered.  

Lying down next to her, Amber curled between them, Draco asked

"Why do you always worry about things you cannot change?"

Hermione sighed.

"Because the last time I tried to block out my worries, it didn't turn out so well."

Draco's grip tightened around her hand.

"It will never happen again, Hermione.  Whatever happens, we will stay together."

"Draco, the only reason we're still together is because you cheated fate.  You weren't supposed to save me."  Hermione paused for a moment before asking, "Have you ever thought that we were simply not meant to be?"  

"You've asked me that before."  He replied.  "You remember my answer."

"You haven't changed.  Your goals and ambitions are still the same, and even _you_ have to admit that there is no place for me in the life you mapped out for yourself." She told him.

Draco moved in to kiss her softly on the lips, careful not to wake up their sleeping daughter.

"A compromise goes both ways Hermione.  To save you, I've severed my ties with the Dark Lord.  I've given, now it's your turn."

Hermione looked fearfully into his eyes.

"What are you asking of me?"

With a wave of his wand he whisked Amber off the bed and placed a sleeping charm on her before laying her down on a cot not so far away.  With nothing between them, Draco pulled Hermione to him.

"Let the past die, Hermione.  The ways that were are dead; the course of history has changed.   What is left to be determined now is whether Voldemort or I will become the next Lord.  And this lord will neither be Light nor Dark, he will just be."

Tilting her face up to him, Draco caught her in a hungry kiss.   His mouth moved desperately on hers, and when she hesitantly brushed her tongue on his, he delved in further, forcing her to steady herself by wrapping her arms around his shoulders.  

Breaking the kiss, she looked imploringly into his eyes.

"Can't we leave all this?  Can't we just disappear and live a normal life?"  she begged him.

"There is no longer a normal life to live.  The war has reached every being, Hermione.   The days of Muggles are ending, with or without my help." He answered her, kissing the tears from her eyes.

"We are the more powerful race.  It had to happen.  It's how nature works"

"You can't ask me to accept that,"  Hermione said starkly.  "I'm a Muggle too.  And your daughter's half-muggle as well.  How are you going to explain that to those that follow you?"

"You're a Muggle-born witch, Hermione.  And that makes you magical.  My goal, and the goal of those who follow me, is not to attack anyone with Muggle blood.  The wizarding world is growing, and more and more Muggles are turning out to be magical by the day.  I want to build wizarding civilization that optimizes all of our strengths, and that simply can not be done if we are forced to not offend any Muggle sensibilities.  We simply want to be able to exist freely, without the constraints of keeping them in the dark.  However, if they attack us once we reveal our presence, we will have to retaliate."  He explained to her.

"You know they will attack you.  They will panic; it's how they are.  That's why the wizarding world has always been kept separate!"  She argued.

"Why?  Why do we, the more powerful race, have to hide out as if we were fugitives?  It isn't our fault that we are magical.  You should be the one to understand this.  Your parents practically hid you the cellar every time you visited.  Your presence ended up destroying their marriage.  And can you deny the fact that part of the reasons why you hurt yourself before was because you were forced to live a double life?"

Hermione's lips trembled.  That was a blow beneath the belt and he knew it.

"Hermione, admit it.  Part of you thinks that I'm right!"

"Damn you, Draco.  Why are you doing this to me?"

"I need you to understand that although my followers and I have worked with Voldemort up until now, we do not share the same ideals.  Voldemort wants to rid the world of Muggles and Muggleborn wizards out of spite – out of the grudge he still holds against his father.   I will only fight the Muggles if I have to, and I do it because I realize that it needs to be done.  Both our races need to evolve; we need to become the best that we can be.  And we can not do so in complete ignorance of one another.  That is the rift between Voldemort and I, Hermione, not you."

The gazes locked for a moment, and finally, Hermione gave in.  She pulled down his head and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I need you to promise. . ."  She said softly

"Anything . ."  He said as he trailed kisses down her neck.

"You will kill only if you need to, and if you can, after all this is over, you will let the escaping light forces go.  They are no longer of any threat to you, and you know it."  

She gasped as he nibbled her earlobe.

"Draco?"

"I promise.  But on one condition."  He said finally, his hand already on the buttons of her blouse.

"Yes?"  She asked him.

"That you will never leave me again."  He said heatedly as he reached for her.  

With a fervent nod Hermione let him take control.  All she could do now was pray that he would be true to his word. 

~~~~~~~~

"So he has chosen"  the Dark Lord said to Lucius Malfoy.

"He chose her before.  It was obvious that he would do so again."

"You bear little affection for your son, Lucius."  

"He bears even less for me.  The girl changed him – she did so long ago.  I warned you."   Was Lucius' reply.

"We needed his strength.  We wouldn't have come this far without him." Voldemort said sagely 

"He wouldn't have come this far without us.  The followers have divided.  Many have chosen him."

"He is a strong leader.  Stronger than you, Lucius."

Lucius Malfoy grimaced.   

"So what do we do now?"

"We go after the girl."  The Dark Lord said simply.

"The girl?  Why her?  She is of no help to him.  Her powers have been drained."

"She is his only weakness.  The blood binding will make killing her equal to killing him.  Even with both our powers we can not defeat him outright.  He has learned too much and has grown too powerful.  She, however, is defenseless."  Voldemort explained with a sigh.  He missed Draco; their minds had been so well attuned that there was never any need to explain his thoughts.

"She will be well protected, My Lord.  Draco's army has taken most of the fortresses.  He had the advantage of acting before us."

Voldemort chuckled.

"I would have expected no less of him.  Perhaps, what we can not take by strength we can do by stealth."

"My Lord?"

"Bring your wife to me Lucius.  I have something for her to do."

~~~~~~~ 

"I don't trust her."  Draco said to Hermione the moment his mother left the room.

"Neither do I."  

"Then why did you help convince me to let her stay?"  He asked, moving to catch her hand in his.  She looked so helpless there on the large bed.  

"Just because I'm bed-ridden doesn't mean that my brain suddenly became dysfunctional."  She replied.

"Was there a point to that, or are you just throwing around insults?"  he asked.

Hermione sighed.

"This is a very delicate time for you.  Loyalties are being divided, and the main pull you have over your followers is, essentially, that you are not as cruel or cold-blooded as Voldemort.  Throwing your mother out after she came to you in such a state would taint that vision, which is something you can't risk."

Draco gave her an assessing look.

"It seems that I've created a monster."

Hermione laughed and shook her head.

"As long as you stay true to your word, you will always have my support – and advice, when the need arises."

"I still don't trust her to take care of you, or Amber.  You're both too vulnerable."

"I wouldn't say that too easily.  Amber's packs quite a punch, if you know what I mean."  She said jokingly, planting a peck on his chin.  

"Now who's trying to distract who?"  Draco accused.  However, he did not resist the urge to slip into the bed next to her.

"Just trying to cheer you up,"  Hermione said as he drew her on top of him.   Playing with his hair, she continued.

"Besides, you've got tons of guards around here.  That should keep your mother from attacking me for awhile."

"Well, There's also something else that we can do."  He said hesitantly as he kissed her.

"What?"  She asked.

"Ginny Weasley was captured today."

Hermione froze.

Moving his palm soothingly down her back, he said

"Don't worry, she's not harmed, neither is the baby she's carrying."

"How? …"

"Her apparition spell went awry, possibly because of he child she's carrying.  Either way, she's in the dungeons right now."  He answered

Forgetting her weakness, Hermione got up, only to find her legs sagging from under her.  Luckily, Draco anticipated her move and scooped her back up into the bed.

"You have to let her go!  You can't keep her here."  She cried, knowing full well that he wasn't going to do what she asked.

Draco shook his head.

"She will be in more danger that way.  She's carrying Harry Potter's child.  Voldemort will hunt her down to set the trap for her husband."

"But . ."

"Trust me, Hermione, she will come to no danger here.  She will be safer than she would be were she still running."  He assured her.

"What are you going to do with her?"  She asked him.

"I was hoping to get her to take care of you.  Sadly, she is one of the few people right now who doesn't wish you harm."

"She will never agree to that.   The moment she sees me with you she would know that I've abandoned the fight.  She wants you dead."

"That's up for her to decide, and I don't think that she has much choice.  It's either me or Voldemort who'll win this war, Hermione.  She'll have to choose one of us."

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own these characters.**

**S.O.S: ok, I hate to admit this, but I've got a bit of a problem seeing where this story's heading.  Any suggestions?  I need HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  **


	8. Epilogue - A Message to Readers

Hi Everyone,

I just logged back into this account today (after an entire decade had passed). Firstly, I want to apologize for abandoning this story many moons ago. I had just gotten into college and was busy being a bit of a drama queen. I abandoned my writer self (horrible, I know). On top of that, the email address linked to this account died and I stopped getting updates.

I have now gotten back into writing (it was always in me, I was just running away from it). I moved away from fanfiction and started creating stories of my own. If you want to know more about that, you can check me out at .com. You can also contact me there.

But this message isn't about me, it's about everyone who messaged and reviewed. It means a lot to me that you took the time to make those comments. I was having a low moment (even now, being an author is still more a dream than a reality), and I was beginning to question if I was even a good writer at all. Reading all the reviews and comments about a story I wrote 10 years ago gave me a tremendous confidence boost, and the impact of that can't be measured in words.

Thank you all so much for following me on . I would never have become who I am without writing these stories 10 years ago. If there are any of you out there questioning if you should try your luck at becoming a writer one day, please make a go of it. I wasted a great deal of time trying to become something I didn't want to be, and only recently did I realize the simple truth that I should do what makes me happy.

Best,

Tara Quan (aka Romantic Fool)

P.S. My works on are considered part of the public domain. Translate, adapt, borrow from it as much as you'd like (though I'd appreciate it if you could credit me).

P.P.S. I actually still work 40 hrs/week + over time on top of trying to write the sequel to my first novella, so my fanfiction days are officially over.


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